Annual message: We will continue to fight religious apartheid, says Zardari

The president, prime minister deliver greetings message on Christmas Eve.

ISLAMABAD:

On the eve of Christmas, the president and the prime minister have separately conveyed their best wishes to the Christian community, within and outside Pakistan. 

President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday night lauded the role Christians played in all fields and said the nation was proud of their participation in the country’s development.

In his Christmas message, the president said, “The nation deeply admires their loyalty to the state and commitment to abide by the law.”

Zardari said he had no doubt that the Christian community will continue to play their positive role for the peace, progress and prosperity of Pakistan.

He emphasised that equality of all citizens of the state had been enshrined in the Constitution and said the founder of the nation had made this clear in his address to the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan on August 11, 1947.

He said Pakistan was committed to pursuing policies aimed at creating greater harmony and cohesion between people of different faiths. “I wish to reiterate that we will continue to fight religious apartheid.”



“Let it also be made clear that we will not permit the persecution of members of other faiths in the name of religion nor permit their hounding by misuse of laws and abuse of the judicial processes.”

He felicitated the Christian community on the eve of Christmas and said, “I extend heartiest greetings to our Christian brethren all over the world and in particular to those living in Pakistan.”

Premier’s message

Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, in his Christmas message, said, “Islam preaches equality of mankind, irrespective of caste or creed and the universal message of Islam and its principles are applicable to the entire humanity”.

The prime minister asserted that the Christian community living in Pakistan was an integral part of our society. He appreciated their role in the socio-economic development of the country.

“Our religious celebrations should not be restricted to merely rituals. We should practise the teachings of our religions and mould our lives with the objective to serve humanity,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 25^th, 2012.